She Was Recognized

"Man Faced Demon Spider venom." Dugu Yan looked a little surprised. With her knowledge of poisons, she could naturally tell what poison these people had been afflicted with.

Man Faced Demon Spiders were rare Soul Beasts to begin with, let alone one whose External Soul Bone was involved.

"Let's go." Qingxi led Dugu Yan to the betting area to collect her winnings, then headed to the next Soul Fighting Arena.

"Master, have you been staying in Suotuo City lately?" Dugu Yan asked, watching how familiar Qingxi seemed with the Soul Fighting Arena.

"Mm. Speaking of which, that reminds me of something." Qingxi stopped and took out the token Xue Qinghe had given her, waving it in front of Dugu Yan. "Do you know the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

"You mean Brother Xue?" Dugu Yan glanced at the token in Qingxi's hand, then lowered her head and took out an identical one. "It's a pass for the imperial palace. Don't worry, Brother Xue is a good person."

"Mm." Qingxi nodded, put the token away, and followed the crowd outside.

The Soto City Grand Arena was open from 5 p.m. to midnight. The team battles were the main event at the end, and by the time they were over, it was nearly closing time.

"Yanzi! Yanzi!"

The moment they left the Great Soul Arena, they heard someone calling Dugu Yan by her nickname. They looked toward the voice and saw several young men and women dressed in finery. Among them was Ye Lingling, whom Qingxi had met before.

"Come on, I'll introduce you." Dugu Yan led Qingxi over to the group.

"Yanzi!" Yu Feng spotted Dugu Yan and joyfully rushed toward her, only for her to dodge to the side. He lost his balance and sprawled on the ground, dust instantly smearing his handsome face.

A black-haired youth nearby laughed gleefully.

"Yanzi~" Yu Feng pretended to wipe away a tear. "We've grown so distant. Boohoo..."

Ye Lingling and Qingxi exchanged glances and nodded politely.

"Get up!" Dugu Yan planted her hands on her hips and kicked the clown. "There are other people here. Can't you act properly for once?"

Yu Feng's sobs stopped. Only then did he notice the exquisitely pretty little girl behind her, watching him curiously.

Oh no! My face! I've embarrassed myself!

Yu Feng cried out inwardly and hurried to his feet, brushing the dust off his face before returning to his graceful young nobleman's bearing.

"Ahem, what just happened?" Yu Feng asked with a cough, affecting a dignified air.

The Shi Brothers and Osler burst out laughing.

Yu Tianheng shot Yu Feng a warning glance. "Behave yourself. Don't embarrass us in public."

Yu Feng pouted, looking ready to cry again.

"All right." A gentle male voice cut in, and everyone immediately fell silent.

The speaker was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his early thirties. He was handsome, with an average build, and seemed like a gentle person just from his appearance.

Standing behind the group, Qin Ming fixed his gaze on Qingxi, a probing look in his eyes. "And you are?"

Black hair, black eyes, eleven or twelve years old.

Her appearance reminded Qin Ming of someone Elder Meng had mentioned before—the child who, according to Elder Meng, was even more outstanding than Yanzi.

Unfortunately, Qin Ming had never met her. By the time he heard about her, she had already disappeared.

Yanzi's explanation was that her grandfather had taken her away. Since a Titled Douluo had taken her, Heaven Dou Royal Academy naturally hadn't dared ask too many questions.

He simply hadn't expected to see her here.

Qingxi nodded. Judging by the man's appearance and manner, he seemed to hold a special place among the group.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is my younger sister, Dugu Qingxi." Dugu Yan wrapped an arm around Qingxi and introduced her to everyone.

"This is our team's teacher, Qin Ming. This is the Heaven Dou Team captain, Yu Tianheng, and this is..."

When she got to Qin Ming, Dugu Yan leaned close to Qingxi's ear and whispered, "He's the best teacher at Heaven Dou Academy, and the teacher the academy originally planned to assign you. He reached the Soul Emperor level at thirty. He's really impressive."

Of course, Dugu Yan believed she would be even more impressive than Teacher Qin by the time she turned thirty.

"So you're the little sister Yanzi is always talking about!" Osler exclaimed. He leaned on Yu Feng's shoulder and looked Qingxi over curiously.

He wanted to see what was so special about this girl that even Yanzi couldn't stop praising her.

"Teacher Qin." Qingxi placed one hand against her chest and bowed to Qin Ming.

"You're impressive. You're so young, yet your Soul Power has already reached level thirty. Have you found a suitable Soul Ring?" Qin Ming asked, mildly surprised by how humble the child was.

"I've already found one. Thank you for your concern." Qingxi's gaze flickered as she chose to lie.

"This little sister doesn't look anything like Yanzi," Yu Feng whispered into Osler's ear.

To be precise, she didn't look like anyone in the Dugu Family.

"It's getting late. Let's head back to our lodgings. Why don't you come with us, little sister?" Yu Tianheng said in a low voice.

"Come with us," Dugu Yan said, her eyes shining as she looked at Qingxi.

Qingxi shook her head. "No, I have somewhere to stay."

She was used to going wherever she pleased. She probably wouldn't feel comfortable following a whole crowd around.

Seeing how firm she was, Qin Ming understood that the girl had a mind of her own and didn't insist. "In that case, Yanzi, take your little sister home, then come meet us."

"I'll go too," Yu Tianheng said at the appropriate moment.

Qin Ming's gaze lingered on Yu Tianheng for a moment. Knowing how he felt about Dugu Yan, he nodded.

"Teacher, I can manage on my own," Dugu Yan declined.

Qin Ming smiled. "Go together. There's safety in numbers."

Dugu Yan glanced at Yu Tianheng and snorted. Then she took Qingxi's hand and turned to leave.

The three of them walked in silence. Especially between Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan—Qingxi's instincts told her something was going on between them.

When they reached the hotel, Yu Tianheng stayed downstairs and didn't come up.

Dugu Yan walked Qingxi to her room. "Master, I'll come see you tomorrow."

She hadn't seen her master in so long. Of course she wanted to spend some time with her.

Qingxi quickly turned her down. "You'd better not. I've been competing at the Soul Fighting Arena lately too. I'll come find you after I'm done."

Dugu Yan nodded and didn't press the matter.

They were both at the Soto City Grand Arena anyway. They were bound to run into each other sooner or later.

"Sounds good. I'll get going, then." Dugu Yan waved and headed downstairs.

Qingxi stood by the window, watching the two of them leave one after the other.

She took out the copper coins she hadn't used in a long time and cast a divination for Dugu Yan.

One reading proved inconclusive, so she cast another.

After a long while, Qingxi gathered up the coins. Watching the two distant figures under the lamplight, she wore a complicated expression.

Her star of love had risen, but the timing was wrong.

The next day, Qingxi first went to the Central Soul Fighting Arena to watch Dugu Yan's match. Only then did she return to the Branch Soul Fighting Arena to prepare for the day's warm-up events.

Then four people blocked her path.

Qingxi furrowed her brows as she studied the familiar faces.

Wasn't that muscular middle-aged man Zhao Wuji, the one whose face she and Yanzi had beaten black and blue?

And that boy, barely four and a half feet tall—wasn't he the Blue Silver Grass Soul Master?

What surprised her was that the so-called "Grandmaster" was with them.

Qingxi sneered inwardly. The beam above is crooked, so the rafters below will be crooked too.

"Qiankun Mingxin!" Flender folded his arms across his chest and looked down at her.

"You've got the wrong person." Qingxi said it and tried to walk around them.

What she found strange was that she wasn't wearing a mask now. How had they recognized her?

"Stop." Tang San blocked Qingxi's way. When his gaze fell on her face, surprise flashed in his eyes.

They had been waiting outside the Soul Fighting Arena for several days to catch Qiankun Mingxin. This girl had often passed right by them—and she was the Qiankun they were looking for?!

And if Tang San remembered correctly, he had seen this girl a few months ago at the hotel near the Star Dou Great Forest.

"If we say it's you, then it's you! What, you've got the nerve to bully people but not to admit it?" Zhao Wuji stepped forward with his hands on his hips.

He was the shortest of the three, but also the most muscular. Standing there, he looked like a small mountain, full of imposing presence.

"Who did I bully? And you've got the wrong person. I'm really not Qiankun." Qingxi gave them a polite smile.

"Don't bother pretending. I saw your registration information when I went to place a bet," Flender said smugly.

How had he recognized her? Naturally, it was because of Flender, the miser. Every night, he bet on Shrek Team to win and raked in a fortune.

Then, just last night, he happened to see this person wager tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins on Shrek Team. Curious, he glanced at the registration information the staff had given her.

It had indeed said Qiankun Mingxin.

Qingxi's smile vanished. Her gaze turned icy as it settled on them. "So, you're here to avenge that dead fatty?"

This had just gotten a lot less fun.